How to Form an LLC in California
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Forming a California LLC comes down to one document filed with the California Secretary of State, a qualified registered agent attached to it, and a set of recurring obligations that begin the moment the state approves. The official California filing fee is $70, the filing itself happens online, and the ongoing items (a biennial statement, an annual franchise tax) are where most of the real budgeting lives. Below: the fee, the form, the steps, and what we handle if you'd rather not DIY.
Start Your California LLC — $199
A single $199 fee covers preparation and submission of your Articles of Organization to the California Secretary of State, with the $70 state fee itemized separately.
The Case for a California LLC
An LLC legally separates the company's debts and lawsuits from the owner's personal finances. Across California, it is the default structure for small business: light upkeep, genuine liability protection, straightforward taxes.
California LLC Fees at a Glance
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| State filing fee, Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) | $70 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every California LLC) | $99/year |
| Statement of Information (Secretary of State) | $20 every two years |
| Minimum franchise tax (Franchise Tax Board) | $800 per year |
We charge $199 for the filing work. The $70 goes to the California Secretary of State. Registered agent service is $99/year on a separate invoice, and the two state obligations in the last rows continue for the life of the LLC.
The California LLC Filing Fee: $70
The official California filing fee for Articles of Organization is $70, paid to the Secretary of State when the filing is submitted. Two things the $70 is not:
Not the franchise tax The $800 annual minimum goes to the Franchise Tax Board, a different agency, every year the LLC exists.
Not the last Secretary of State fee Within 90 days of formation, the LLC files its first Statement of Information ($20), then refiles every two years.
If a deadline is bearing down, the Secretary of State offers expedited handling: $350 for 24 hour processing or $750 for same day. Standard processing times vary with the state's workload, so build in buffer rather than counting on a specific day.
Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1)
California's formation document is the Articles of Organization, Form LLC-1, authorized by Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01: "One or more persons may act as organizers to form a limited liability company by signing and delivering to the Secretary of State for filing articles of organization on a form prescribed by the Secretary of State."
The form is filed online only through bizfileOnline, the official state portal; the Secretary of State no longer offers the LLC-1 as a downloadable paper form. It asks for the LLC's name, its principal address, the registered agent's name and California street address (California's statutes call the role the agent for service of process), whether members or managers will run the company, and the organizer's signature.
The Steps to Form a California LLC
- Settle on a compliant name. The name needs an LLC designator and must be distinguishable from entities already on file. Search the Secretary of State's records first; the check is free and instant. Words implying a bank, trust company, insurer, or government agency will sink the filing unless you hold separate authorization.
- Select your registered agent. Every California LLC must continuously maintain an agent with a street address in the state, available during normal business hours for hand delivered service. Whatever goes in the agent field becomes public. Our service is $99 per year and puts our address there instead of yours.
- File the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1). Submit through bizfileOnline with the $70 fee. Approval is the moment the LLC becomes a legal entity.
- Draft an operating agreement. The state never asks for one, but banks and co-owners will. It sets ownership shares, profit splits, decision rights, and exit rules; without it, the default provisions of California's LLC statute decide those questions for you.
- Get a federal EIN. The IRS issues them free at IRS.gov in minutes, and you need one for banking, payroll, and federal taxes. Never pay a third party for an EIN.
- Keep up the recurring obligations. File the first Statement of Information within 90 days and biennially after that ($20), pay the Franchise Tax Board's $800 minimum every year, keep LLC finances separate from personal finances, and keep a registered agent on file continuously. Neglect these and the state can suspend the LLC, and a suspended LLC protects no one.
Done filing things yourself? $199 hands the California filing to our team.
The Registered Agent Requirement
California LLCs must have a registered agent from the day the Articles are filed, with no gaps. The statute's name for the role is the agent for service of process, and it demands:
- A physical California street address (a PO box alone fails the requirement)
- Availability at that address during normal business hours to accept legal papers
- Prompt delivery of state mail and lawsuits so the LLC can respond on time
Owners who serve as their own agent put a home address into a database anyone can search. Our California office takes the listing instead for $99 a year.
FAQs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in California?
The official state filing fee is $70 for the Articles of Organization. After formation, plan on $20 every two years for the Statement of Information and a minimum of $800 every year in franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board.
How long does it take to form an LLC in California?
Processing times shift with the Secretary of State's filing volume. Online submissions through bizfileOnline move fastest, and paid expedite tiers ($350 for 24 hour handling, $750 for same day) exist for genuine emergencies.
Does California require an annual report?
Not by that name, and not annually for LLCs. California LLCs file a Statement of Information every two years ($20). Separately, the $800 minimum franchise tax is due to the Franchise Tax Board every year; that one is a tax rather than a report.
Do I need a registered agent for my California LLC?
Yes, continuously. The requirement starts at formation and never pauses while the LLC exists.
Can I form an LLC in California if I live in another state?
Yes. California does not require LLC owners to be residents. The piece you cannot skip is the California registered agent, which is exactly what our $99/year service supplies.
Start Your California LLC the Right Way
Anyone can file directly with the California Secretary of State through bizfileOnline; the state collects its $70 either way, and the agent requirement applies either way. List us as your registered agent and you get a stable California address on the record, same day document scans, and reminders ahead of every deadline for $99 a year.
Need just the RA piece? The registered agent option is $99/year.
Questions about California LLC formation or the way our RA service operates? The FAQ covers most of it; otherwise contact us.
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